Bio-sampling has become increasingly important in numerous fields. Bio-samples may include DNA, RNA, viral, or other types of material. Bio-samples may be collected from blood, saliva, semen, cell tissues, including plant, human, and animal, and other types of biological material. DNA and sampling of DNA have become increasingly important in numerous fields from law enforcement and forensic science to species monitoring. With an estimated 400,000 DNA samples taken daily, with many competing forms of both physical DNA and associated data storage, the issues of use, transportation and storage make establishing standardized packages a difficult problem. Physical DNA samples and associated data files have been maintained physically separated due to the storage environment and physical configurations required. Such separate storage is problematic from the standpoint of potential loss or damage of tracking information and high cost of retrieval. With the volume of DNA information being retained, the sheer size of information files requires enormous temperature and humidity-controlled environments for file storage at significant cost to maintain. Additionally, cold DNA storage requires complex and expensive facility infrastructure, consuming considerable energy to maintain sample viability.
As exemplary, the Child Identification safety market is burgeoning with products using such elements as hair clippings or buccal swabs for DNA without sufficient long term storage survivability or reliable matching of associated data. In Forensic science, DNA samples are collected and stored separately from photographs, notes and other physical or digital evidence adding to the complexity of the chain of evidence.
It is therefore desirable to provide for integrated storage of bio-samples and associated data in a room temperature storable device. It is further desirable that the integrated storage system be small and compatible with existing computer and data storage systems.